Eating well for Lungevity…

A healthy eating guide for lung cancer patients and survivors… And just general common sense eating for everyone suffering from disease.

There’s no special menu plan that will cure or treat lung cancer. However, food is one thing you control that can support your body and help keep up your strength.

Here are five general guidelines for making beneficial dietary choices:

1.      Reinforce your foundation. Your body needs protein for cell and tissue repair. You should aim for about 20 grams per meal from healthy sources such as:

• Beans

• For lean meats such as chicken, fish, or turkey, a portion is the size of a deck of cards

• Eggs

• Nuts and nut butters

• Soy foods (miso, tofu, edamame)

• Yogurt (dairy or non-dairy)

• Some whole grains like quinoa, buckwheat and wild rice are healthy sources of protein
  

2.      Live in full color. Colorful fruits and vegetables add powerful antioxidants and phytonutrients to your diet, which can help ward off cell damage. Whether your fruits and veggies are raw or cooked, the key is variety. Fill up on about five different servings a day. For most fruits and vegetables, a serving is about 1 cup, for leafy greens, it’s 3 cups.

3.      Surround yourself with positive energy! Carbohydrates act as fuel to help keep your energy up. Go with whole grains instead of the refined kind and add a healthy dose of colorful root veggies. Good options include:

• Oats

• Whole-grain pastas

• Wild or Brown rice

• Quinoa

• Barley

• Corn

• Sweet potatoes

4.      Healthy fats? All fats aren’t created equal. Omega-3 fatty acids and other healthy fats help support your brain and nervous system and reduce inflammation in your body. These choices fit the bill:

• Avocados/avocado oil

• Nuts / nut butters

• Seeds / seed butters

• Olive oil

• Grapeseed oil

5.      Keep it simple. You don’t need to overhaul your entire diet. If you’re feeling well -- no treatment side effects, no weight loss or poor appetite -- focus on maintaining balance, with quality nutrition. Start by being aware and mindful about what you’re eating. Make easy changes like adding a piece of fruit as a snack and asking your vegetarian chef friend to make you her famous vegie chili.  

Eating tips for treatment side effects…

Some of the most common side effects of cancer treatments include nausea, lack of appetite, weight loss, dehydration, and fatigue.

You can help manage these discomforts with your diet:

• For nausea: Eat frequent small meals. If strong smells and odors set off your nausea, choose bland and low-fat foods. Ginger and mint can be soothing to an upset stomach.

• For lack of appetite: Eat snack-sized portions every few hours, about four to six times a day. Add calorie-dense foods to all your meals, such as apples and nut butter, olive oil, avocado, and whole grain crackers with hummus. These will give you a lot of calories in a small volume. Starting meal prep, with sauteed onions can stimulate appetite.

• For fatigue: Meal prep is key. Prep freezer meals when you have energy, so you have ready-made dishes you can simply heat and eat. Keep nutritious snacks on hand for when meal preparation feels like too much.

• For dehydration: Aim for at least 64 ounces of decaffeinated fluids each day. If you can’t seem to stomach plain water, try sports drinks or juice. Eating fresh fruit and vegetables can also help to combat dehydration.